Iray Render - skukllcap problem - solved (a light issue)

swordvisions

I am trying to use an older hair (PH Punk). I converted to iray base and even tried using UHT2. Being a mostly Carrara user, Iray is very new to me. The hairline leaves a dark area. You can see it in my first example. Then second shot is when I turn the skullcaps Cutout Opac to 0. You can see the dark area even better. It is probably something simple but I just don't know what else to try.

BeeMKay

How did you convert? I've tried it in 4.8 and 4.9, and the results are fine even without converting the hair to Iray.

Try this: Load the hair and the texture fresh you want. Make a test render. Is the dark area still there in our test render without any changes to the setting?

If no, you can convert to Iray. Select the hair. Go to the surface tab, and select the hair-surfaces.  Make sure that the correct transparency map is in the Cutout Opacity slot.

If you are using UHT, it has an option that allows you to use the existing scalp textures.

Let me know if this works. Iray is a bit tricky in the beginning, but you will get the hang of it quickly.

 

swordvisions

I think I first converted using the uber shader and then started applying UHT. I will try your suggestions. Thank you

swordvisions

Well, I brought in a new hair piece and did not convert to iray and did a spot render the dark area is still there. Then I tried PH Cool, PH Fantasy and Duke Hair. With the first 2 it was very obvious but you could only see the darkness right around the ears of duke hair.

So, I opened a new scene added the ghoul and a genesis 3 base. Converted the ghoul texture to Iray using uber base. I did not convert the hair. spot render - no dark area. So what could be causing the dark area in my scene? Lights or did I accidentally change a setting in my scene. Any ideas?

swordvisions

Solved, once I cut off a disc light to the face the dark area went away. 

BeeMKay

Glad you got it solved!

Yes, the lights can do weirds things sometimes, i.e. if the surface is glossy.

mjc1016

Two things...this may not be as solved as you are thinkning.

What version of Studio? 

And if you open the transparency map in an image editor, you can set it to greyscale and that should help/elimiinate the problem.  Color maps in control (especitally Cutout Transparency) need to be linear black and white maps.  If they are set to 'color'/RGB or some other option the process of making them linear for Iray to use turns them more like a translucency map as opposed to a transparency map.

swordvisions

using 4.9 and I think you are right about not solving my problem. If I put too much power into the light the dark area comes back. Thanks for the tip, I will check if it is a greyscale or not.